Tahira Dosani

🚀 Exciting insights from Tim Draper and Saeed Amidi on investing in startups and fostering an innovative culture! 💡 In a recent interview, these legendary investors shared their wisdom on what they look for in startups and how they help them thrive. Here are some key takeaways: 🔑 Tim Draper emphasized the importance of a strong team and a big market opportunity. He believes that a great team can pivot and adapt to find success, even if their initial idea isn't perfect. 🔑 Saeed Amidi highlighted the value of a founder's passion and resilience. He looks for entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to their vision and can weather the ups and downs of startup life. 💡 Both investors agreed that creating an innovative culture is crucial for startups. This means fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to take risks, experiment, and learn from failures. 🤝 Draper and Amidi also stressed the importance of mentorship and support for startups. They believe that investors should be more than just sources of capital – they should be partners who provide guidance, connections, and resources to help startups succeed. 🌟 congrats to class of 2024 🌟 #afforai #plugandplay #innovation #startup

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Honored to have represented Good Karma Partners and to have been part of this important milestone for the impact investment industry. Impact investors often express concern about “impact-washing” and “cherry-picking” in impact reports. To help address this, over the past 18 months Impact Frontiers, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, has facilitated a consensus-building initiative for investors in private markets, focusing on establishing shared expectations for impact performance reporting. The result of this initiative has just been published — Version 1 of the Impact Performance Reporting Norms.   As a voluntary “social contract,” the Reporting Norms are designed to guide the creation of impact performance reports shared privately by fund managers with their capital providers, as well as the creation of public impact reports.   More information is available at https://lnkd.in/dbsvBVaJ. #impactinvesting #impactreport #impactmanagement https://lnkd.in/decqQ_st

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Considering a career in startups or VC? Starting today, I'm available for 1:1 calls on @Intro to help startup founders and aspiring VCs think through the path ahead. As the founder + managing director of Red Sea Ventures, we invested early in companies like Allbirds (IPO), Sweetgreen (IPO), Nest (acq. Google), Casetext (acq. Thompson Reuters), and Prose to name a few. What topics can we cover? ✔️ Finding product-market fit ✔️ The different paths to funding ✔️ Determining how much you need to raise ✔️ Building a VC firm ✔️ Careers in VC ✔️ Celebrity partnerships Honored to be alongside world-class Experts like Chris DeWolfe (co-founder of MySpace (sold for $675M), Scott Saunders (founder of Happy Money, valued $1B+) & Geraldine Martin-Coppola (former President of Goop). I’ll be donating 100% of the proceeds to Seeds of Peace

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As the Shasta Ventures approval deadline approaches, we're presented with a unique opportunity to observe the complexities and inherent conflicts in GP-led secondary transactions. This scenario sheds light on the considerable leverage GPs hold within the private equity infrastructure. According to the article, proposed continuation fund requires LPs to approve the transaction if they wish to roll their interests into the new structure—a stipulation that could be seen as putting undue pressure on LPs. This raises critical questions about the balance of power in private equity deals and the alignment of interests between GPs and LPs. What are your thoughts? Is it appropriate for GPs to demand such conditions for LPs to participate in a continuation fund? How do you see this impacting the broader private equity landscape and the perception of GP-led secondary transactions? Looking forward to hearing your insights and perspectives on this pivotal issue. #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital #InvestmentTrends #ShastaVentures #GPledSecondaries

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Machiavellian leaders at the helm, prioritizing self-interest over all else, raise concerns about the true essence of freedom and democracy. Factors like greed, envy, and fear (the toxic triangle) have historically constrained freedoms, making it easier to manipulate the uninformed than the enlightened. Let's heed the warnings against propaganda, cronyism, sexism, nationalism, and the suppression of human rights. Leaders must govern, not just campaign, and uphold the law above all else. In a world where selfishness masquerades as moral superiority, let's reject divisive narratives based on skin color or religious beliefs. After all, we all live in the shelter of each other. Good leaders will guide with positive influence and educational materials; bad leaders will misguide with misinformation and propaganda. “All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.” - Adolf Hitler The lessons of history tell us that if we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle ‘Machiavellianism’ is a real thing and a major component in the toxic triangle of destructive leadership. As we navigate the complexities of globalization, let wisdom guide us, not misinformation or mystical panaceas. Thomas Jefferson once warned… And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away all this artificial scaffolding...

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A new flood of fresh funds is reshaping the venture capital landscape! 🚀 Recent highlights include TVM Capital Healthcare’s $250M Afiyah Fund LP, SVC's $30M investment into General Atlantic’s private equity fund, Golden Gate Ventures' $100M MENA-focused fund launch, and Investcorp's $570M fund closure. These announcements signal a broader trend of escalating financial commitments within the industry. MEA funds are heating up! 🌡️ Our data reveals a 74% YoY increase in the number of MEA-based funds being financed as of May 20th, 2024. Since Q4’23, there has been a notable surge in regional funds securing capital, with international investors also establishing localized funds. Stay informed with the latest trends in VC activity: https://lnkd.in/dP6ZkmCd By MAGNiTT Repost by : Salem Bagami Chief Executive Officer Digital Transformation Company & Managing Director 2080 Ventures Email: salem@2080.ventures Website: www.2080.ventures #VC #Funds #Investing

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This past week, I had an engaging conversation with Sanjoy Sanyal for Caspian Climate Conversations. We discussed my newest venture, Edhina Capital, and investment opportunities in IP-led businesses in EV and Energy sectors. CCC has captured a wealth of knowledge from various thinkers, doers, and innovators in climate technology over the last three years. It is an honour to join this formidable line-up. At Edhina Capital, our competitive strategy is rooted in Sector and Technology depth and painstaking Research for differentiated investment opportunities. Our mission is to provide vertical support to businesses. We help family offices with direct investment opportunities. Couple of arguments that formed the centre of my conversation with Sanjoy: 1. Traditional sectors of Mobility, Energy and Built Environment are transitioning to being climate resilient on the back of deep Science, Computing, Communication and Scale. These present significant investment opportunities in IP-led businesses that are disrupting the sector. 2. Nuanced understanding of the Sector, Technology and Product differentiation feeds a powerful investment strategy at Edhina that is capital efficient at Early stage as well as at the Growth stage, and renders itself to market competitive returns. Listen to the full episode for more: https://rb.gy/7fpmy8 #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #EMobility #Sustainability #ImpactInvesting #ClimateTech #CaspianClimateConversations‍

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Most startups fail because they can't secure funding. As the Managing Partner at VentureCop, I've facilitated introductions and accelerated fundraising for startups and investors. I've consulted at Equivator®, focusing on private equity investments in tech ventures, and contributed to deploying $415mm into 80 tech companies as a Strategic Advisor at Ligo Partners Family Office. I'm getting a lot of DMs from founders seeking guidance on raising funds and building strategic partnerships. So, I've opened up 5 exclusive 1:1 mentorship slots on @Intro. What can we cover together? ✔️ How to raise funds ✔️ Guidance on strategic partnerships ✔️ Tips on mergers and acquisitions ✔️ Best practices for investor relations ✔️ Advice on tech venture investments Honored to be on Intro alongside world-class experts like Linh Peters (former CMO at Walgreens & Calvin Klein), Sardor Umrdinov (founder of Home Alliance, bootstrapped to $100M), and Laura Nguyen (Executive Career Break Coach. Clients: Fortune 500 companies). Comment “interested” and secure your spot now: intro.co/waqaskhann #mentorship #fundraising #investments #venturecapitalists #Familyoffices #hedgefunds #M&A #investorelations #startups #founders #VCs #GPs #seedround #seriesA #earlystage #angelinvesting #meeting

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🚀 Exciting news! I teamed up with Jamie Lane of FWDstart to launch the "VC React Podcast"! 🎙️ Each week, we bring you dynamic insights and reactions from three different VCs, diving into the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. A huge thanks to Khaled Talhouni, Sara Ebeid, and Waleed A. Alballaa for an incredible first episode! 🌟 I hope you all enjoy the conversation as much as we did. Tune in and join the excitement! 📈✨ We talked about: - Rasan Going Public Summary: Saudi Arabia-based insurtech Rasan has announced its IPO, becoming the first insurtech company in the region to go public. The move aims to capitalize on the growing demand for digital insurance solutions and expand its market reach. - Connect Money Raising $8 Million Seed Round Summary: Egypt-based fintech Connect Money secured $8 million in a seed round led by Disruptech Ventures and Algebra Ventures. The funding will support the launch of five new business verticals in North Africa. Connect Money offers a white-label card issuing platform for businesses to provide debit and credit cards without developing fintech infrastructure or regulatory licensing. - SMPL Holdings Launching A $10 Million Fund Summary: SMPL Holdings has launched a $10 million fund to support tech and AI startups across the MENA region. The fund aims to foster innovation and accelerate the growth of emerging technology companies in the area. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions to enhance the format or content. https://lnkd.in/gqydVXMF

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Navigating effective communication with boards is a cornerstone of driving growth and alignment in our ventures. As founders and investors, honing our communication skills with board members can catalyze strategic decision-making and propel our companies forward. Here are some key strategies I've found indispensable in fostering robust communication with boards: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: Transparency breeds trust. Providing candid updates and insights ensures board members are equipped to make informed decisions and support our vision. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Simplifying complex ideas without compromising on crucial details is essential. Clear, concise communication empowers board members to grasp key concepts and contribute meaningfully to discussions. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Actively involving board members fosters collaboration and unlocks valuable perspectives. Encouraging questions and dialogue demonstrates our commitment to leveraging their expertise to drive success. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Aligning communication with the board's strategic priorities is paramount. Tailoring our messages to resonate with their interests and objectives cultivates buy-in and alignment towards shared goals. What strategies have you found effective in communicating with your board? #FounderPerspective #InvestorInsights #BoardCommunication

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Excited to join the panel discussion next week on the future of smart cities! We'll be exploring how technology, entrepreneurship, and investment are shaping the cities of tomorrow. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the latest trends and innovations driving the smart city revolution. Sign up now to reserve your spot! #smartcities #venturecapital #Frontiertechnology #entrepreneurship #urbaninnovation

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Over the years, we at GFR Fund have solidified our investment thesis, which is that we invest in "emerging digitally native communities." These communities can be built around games, social media, and any consumer applications. Now, founders have many easy-to-use tools to build user communities, such as Discord, X/twitter, Instagram, etc, and we believe the founders should start building communities even before they launch a product. The communities can help founders: - reach PMF faster - acquire users cheaper - retain and engage users longer - build better UX/UI, and - hire early employees Below, you can see how RTFKT and Omeda Studios built the community and then worked with them to create a product the users really wanted. We would love to talk to the founders who think the community is essential in building a product!

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Thoughtful commentary from Sandhya Nakhasi in ImpactAlpha asserting that now is the time for impact investors to seize the moment and lead, particularly during this election cycle. Their contention is that our markets have become increasingly financialized and disconnected from people and their needs, and that impact investors have the tools and means to address these issues. I'm struck by the note that it’s incumbent upon impact investors to align with those advocates pushing for government regulations, oversight and community-informed incentives that will help bring about a more equitable economy. Please have a look. #ImpactInvesting

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Earlier this week, I was invited by the Propel Impact team to share my perspective on the opportunities and risks for applications of AI in various healthcare sectors, including public health, care delivery and capacity management. Moderated by Adam Livshits, our panel included angel investor rep Luke J. Sheen and representing the entrepreneur’s perspective was #JuliaStAmand from RetinaLogik.     Always the teacher, I reminded the attendees that AI is NOT new! In fact, I believe it may be considered one of the oldest fields of computer science. I first set the framing of WHY there is suddenly so much frothy conversation about the use of AI. In specifics, because we have the computing power, data storage, and sophisticated algorithms to power and perform at a meaningful level. I recall talking about the promise of ‘big data’ years ago during my MBA at UBC Sauder School of Business. (Fun Fact – my MBA specialization was in fact, in Information Technology. True. Can’t make that up). Even when we were doing projects discussing the promise of “big data” as MBA students in the late 90’s, there was more promise than concrete deliverables. It always felt like a mind-numbing exercise. It’s different now. Jump ahead a couple of decades and now we can handle larger datasets, train increasingly complex models and deliver outputs that we can trust sufficiently for direct use in healthcare. We are starting to trust the machine. But also, as I shared with the Propel analysts, you are not always going to know when you are benefitting from AI or Machine Learning … unless of course there is no longer line of sight of a fax machine – anywhere. But that isn’t necessarily going to be due to AI. Just progress. But I digress.   I enjoyed Julia’s commentary about black box vs white box conclusions when developing AI products and Luke highlighting that drugs can be approved without knowing the mechanism of action (MOA). The FDA requires safety and efficacy, knowing the MOA is ideal (e.g., to optimize dosing, to manage side effects, etc.), but is not required. It was an interesting point of comparison to what is happening in healthcare today with AI. What we know. What we don’t know.   I took the opportunity to reference a few Relentless Venture Fund portfolio companies use of A.I. in health applications. Concrete examples generally do a better job than philosophizing about potential use in healthcare. There are the billions of orthopedic patient data points that Canary Medical Inc. has to power their clinical decision support tools, Modality.AI’s virtual agent objectively measuring disease progression in a variety of neurological conditions, to Aspect Biosystems’s secret use of ML, and of course LUCID’s ability to personalize and optimize their proprietary music recommendation system for individuals living with dementia. Check out Propel Impact programs here: https://lnkd.in/gp23Nsk8 I love their tag line: “A community that nourishes your drive to do good.”

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Serial Claremont entrepreneur and VC Shahram Seyedin-Noor shares the lessons he's learned from years of founding, operating, exiting, and investing in startups and founders. It’s a Claremont world out there. 👇

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An Entrepreneurial Board of Directors A Value Maximization Model For Public Companies #corporategovernance #governance #boardsofdirectors #shareholdervalue #performance #capitalism #institutionalinvestors

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Participating in Cohort 14 of the VC Lab has been an energizing experience so far. I am learning so much about the ins and outs of being an emerging fund manager and how to succeed in this space. Today they hosted a panel for Women in VC that provided some real world advice from some fantastic panelists. The curriculum is rigorous for sure, but rewarding. If you are curious about why this is such an exciting area check out this article. #venturecapital #vc #investing https://lnkd.in/gMMM_mwp

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I had a lot of fun recording a podcast episode with Shiva Singh Sangwan. We discussed the evolution of Humba Ventures & Susa Ventures; tips for raising and building a fund; how to improve investment sourcing & picking; the role of luck in investing, and so on. https://lnkd.in/eiqsStej

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We are living in a world that embodies our Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology investment thesis at REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions & Great Power Competition; The Climate Crisis & Severe Weather; Consumer Behavior & Demographics. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

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